Method and apparatus for producing perforated cigarettes



METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRonUcING PERFORATED CIGARETTES Filedpril 4. 1956 A. P. MILLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 9, 1960 ATTORNEYS n om Nm o.

Feb. 9, 1960 A. P. MILLER 2,924,223

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING PERFORATED cIGARETTEs FiledAplil 4. 195e 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOA ANTHONY P. MILLER FIG. e. 0

ATTORNEYS BY W United` States Patent METHD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING PERFORATED CIGARETTES Anthony P. Miller, Atlantic City, NJ., assignor to Achilles Corporation, Atlantic City, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Application April 4, 1956, Serial No. 576,098

6 Claims. (Cl. 131-24) This invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing perforated cigarettes and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for producing a cigarette having an annular array of openings through the wrapper thereof adjacent to the end held by the smoker.

The use of smoking tobacco is today both well known and wide spread in spite of the fact that it is recognized by some authorities that smoking is injurious to the delicate membranes of the nose and throat of the smoker and is credited with inducing cancer of the mouth, throat and lungs and with inducing heart ailments.

The principal products of tobacco smoke are carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, water vapor, acid fumes, nicotine vapors and tars. The rst of these products is not generally regarded as harmful to the smoker. The remainder of these products are generally considered harmful and, even though only a small proportion of the total quantity of these products resulting from the combustion of the entire cigarette actually enter the smokers system, that quantity is suicient to be considered by some authorities as being harmful to the smoker as noted above.

It is particularly noted that the air drawn through a burning cigarette has substantially 'all of the oxygen removed therefrom and the various combustion products drawn into the mouth and lungs ofthe smoker are at a substantially elevated temperature which further contributes to the degree of harm produced by the harmful products of combustion noted above.

Various means have been employed in attempts to reduce the harmful effects of the heated oxygen-free combustion products on the smoker. Various chemicals have been employed in admixture with the tobacco in an endeavor to nullify the harmful ingredients of the smoke. These chemical additives have, in some cases, produced more harmful resultsthan would have been created by the conditions which were sought to be overcome. Numerous types of mechanical filters have been devised. These iilters generally accomplish little more lthan a removal of the larger tar globules in suspension in the cigarette smoke. Beyond this, cigarette lters are generally of little value.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for producing a cigarette which will provide the smoker with a cooler smoke which has been made less harmful and more pleasing to the smoker by the addition of oxygen to the smoke drawn into the mouth and lungs of the smoker as well as by the reduction of the temperature of the smoke drawn into the mouth and the lungs of the smoker.

It is a further object of the invention to provide for a cooling of the cigarette smoke before it passes through the end of the cigarette held by the smoker, and to thus increase the effectiveness of a lter built into the cigarette or to increase the elfectiveness of the tobacco in the cigarette which, in part, acts as a filter and provides surfaces upon which the less Volatile products of corn- .bustion may condense.

Patented Feb. 9, 1960 However, by my invention, I achieve this effect without the need for the use of inconvenient and relatively expensive cigarette holders and provide the further beneficial effect of the addition of oxygen to the gases drawn through the cigarette.

These and other objects of the invention will become evident from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of apparatus performing various operations on an extended length of cigarette wrapper in the manufacture of cigarettes;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic showing of a strip of cigarette wrapper paper on which the various operations have been successively performed;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary showing of apparatus for perforating the cigarette paper;

Figure 4 is a greatly enlarged showing of a fragmentary portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 3 Figure 5 is an embodiment of a modified form of the invention; and

Figure 6vis a showing of an -alternative embodiment of the form of the invention shown in Figure 5.

' In Figure 1 there is shown diagrammatically the course of a strip of cigarette wrapper paper 11 which is carried from a reel 1o over various guiding rollers 12 through the successive stages of printing, as indicated `at 14, punching as indicated at 16, tipping as indicated at 18, wrapping and filling as indicated at 20 for the production of a continuous cigarette rod, and shearingpas in dicated at 22 for the production of individual cigarettes. The various operation performing devices may be driven in synchronism from a drive means indicated at 24 and the various operations synchronized with regard to successive cigarette lengths on the paper strip as indicated at 25 in accordance with well known practice. Filling, tipping and printing operations are shown in the patent to Arelt 2,208,504, and printing synchronizing operations are shown in the patent to Friedwald 2,366,187. These various operations are entirely conventional and apparatus therefor need not be described in detail herein.

In Figure 2 there is shown a strip of cigarette wrapping paper 26 on which manufacturer identifying indicia 28 has been printed by means of printing apparatus such as shown at 14 in Figure 1. The strip 26 is then provided with transversely extending rows of perforations 30 adjacent to the indicia bearing areas 28 by means of the punching apparatus shown at 16 in Figure 1. Following the punching apparatus a double length tip 32 is applied between the indicia bearing areas 28 by the tipping apparatus shown at 18 in Figure 1. A cigarette rod 33 is formed in the region 34 by the filling and wrapping apparatus shown at 20 in Figure 1, and the tipped portion of the cigarette rod is severed intermediate the ends thereof as shown at 36 by the severing means shown at 22 in Figure 1. I-t will be evident that the butt-tobut-t arrangement of cigarettes is employed in order to permit some degree of tolerance in the cutting. If tipping material is not employed, the cigarettes can equally well be manufactured with all of the butt ends in one direction along the strip and, in this instance, equal spacing would appear between the printed places and the perforated areas of successive cigarettes in the strip.

In Figure 3 there is shown generally at 38 one form' A Figure 2. Tworows'of projectionreceiving depressions 50 Jare provided in therrollertll "which also has a'eircumferenceequal to athe length "df `two cigarettes.v The rollers -40 *and d4-2'Jare driven `in synchronized relation in orderthat` each growrof projections Vmeshes with 'a row of recesses 50 in the roller 40.

Figure 4 is Ja great-ly enlarged I*shr'iirfing"of i'afragmentary nportion rof kthe lrollers '40 land '42positioned with a projection 18a-entered -within lt'heiprojection receiving recess 50. "llhe-` paper strip "i4-'1`taasses l'ietweenithetwo rollers and Vis*pressed*againstthe `sui-facer yof the roller 42 by means ofna projectingrim 52 positioned varound -the recess `S0. ,-It willbe :observed-from Figure"4-that the adjacent surface of ythe Vrollers-"40 'and 42 are 4suiciently spaced that the cigarette wrapper i44 linaytpass"betweeii the two `rollerswithout Ahavling pressure lappliedethereto except for the brief interval'sdurin'g whichperforations are being formedrinfthe wrapper. Thearrangement not only permits increased pressure A'during the-'perforating operation, but also -facilitates take=up of the -'wrapper strip as is necessary to maintain proper synchronization between the printing, punching andt-ipping"operations4 in order to` provide for proper'lregister lofJthe printing, the perforationsfthe tips vin each cigarette "len'gth.

By carrying Ithe cigarette -.wrapper f4'4around-a substantial portion of the `rollerandtby:providing-rollers 40 and 42fwhich are atleast the -length of two/cigarettes, the `perforating projection' 48 may -enterV and leave `the cigarette l wrapper -without =tearing the {vv-rapper' along "the longitudinal length lthereof.

While the arrangement discussed thus fa'rcontemplates separate printing and punching operations, 4these :operations may desirably be combined to lthe extent that .they are performed against a common backu'p roller. Such an arrangement is shown in FigureS in whichlfaiwrapper strip 54 passes over `'guide rollers 56 and Aaroundla major portion of a mandrel roller f58 which has 4acircumference equal to twice the length ,ofa cigarette. l l

A printing `roller 160, which yalso has a circumference equal to `twice the length of afcigarette,rcarrfies projecting type faces 62 `adapted =to print desiredfindicia :upon-the cigarette wrapper 54v and positioned Vso as tobear upon the surface of the roller '58. .Inserts 64 areprovided in the surface of the :roller -58 Vat .spaced-intervals `thereon equal to the spacing fbetween the type 62 Vin order to provthe cigarette wrapper passing therebetween rows of perforations and areas of printed indicia in the manner similar to the printings 28 and perforations 30 shown on the strip 26 in Figure 2.

It will be evident thatgthe :arrangement shown in Figure 5 may employ a similar arrangement of projections, recesses `and rims around the recesses as show n `at 48, and 52, respectively, `in Figure v4. It will also be evident that the farrangement f shown `in `Figure 5 minimizes the synchronizing and phasing problems `involved in providing printing and perforating 1on the cigarette wrapper strip in proper spaced relation.

In the embodiment ofthe invention shown in 'Figure e 6 a wrapper strip80 passes over guide rollers 82 and around a mandrel roller 84. The roller 84 is provided with a surface layer 86 of yielding material such as, for example, a'lsuitahlvhard YJrubber 'against whichboth printing and `perforating may `:be accomplished. Acting 'in conjunction with fthe rollerf84'jis -a roller '88 carrying,

projectingfrornits surface, spaeeditypefaces 90 and perforation-performing projections '92. The roller "88 has Va circumferenceiequal -to ltwice the lengthof a 'cigarette and thetypefaces 90 a'nd the lrows of projec-` tionsf92 are properlyispaced'to -provide lrows 'of perforations and Iprinting 'such- 'as `indicated at"28and Sllin Fig- -ure 2. The yielding tsuface86 of the `roller 84 is normally positionedfoutiofengagement with the surface `of the rollers 88 "but *the l spacing betweenthese *rollers is `such lthat the VAperforation performing projections v92jand type faces 90 w'ill bear against vthe Lyildingsuface '86 and accomplish-the desired perforationperforming and printing of the Ywrapper strip`80.l l'llhe"circumference of the surface `of 'the roller 84-is ypreferably somewhat greater than the rcir'cuniference 'of theirollerliSS wand -selecte'dso as notto be anyrevenmultiple of the spacings Aforrningprojections 92.1 -Thus the working "of the -sur- -theiinkingrollen The circumference ofthe inkingl-roller is selected toibesomethingotherthanai1evenmultiple t kof the distances lbetweenlthetypefaces Y90 and/or the vide suitable surfaces against which the Iprinting rtypemay bear. It will `beevidentthat the` rollers 58 iandl are driven in synchronism and are properly Yphased `in order that the type 62 `and the `type cooperating inserts 64 vwill come .into engagement withleach otherinforder .toproperly effect printing of the strip wrapper. j

Ink is applied to the type faces 62 in anyiconventional fashion such as, for example, .by means of an :inking roller V66 which is inrengagement `with a '.rollerl68 located in an ink bath '70 and provided with .a scraper 72 vfor controlling the thickness of the ink layer :carried out of the bath by the roller 68.

A third roller 74 also has ya vcircumferencexequal `.to twice the length of a .cigarette and carries itwo lrows of perforating projections .76 .properly `spacedito .provide rows of .perforations .infthe wrapper at desired intervals. The ,mandrel roller iis 'provided `with rows of .projection receiving recesses f7.8.positioned thereon vin properlyvspaced relation to receivethe rows of projections176. The 4rollers 74 and 58 are synchronized t and properly phased so as to provide for entrance of the*Y projections a7.6into .the recesses 78 upon rotationof the rollers .and Ythe `three ing elements thereon areso positioned as to provide on face 88 of the roller 84 during printingiandperforat-` ing will lbe distributed over the -entir`e-s`urfa`ce of Athe i roller 84 and "uneven -wear over any 'portiony #'of'ithis surface `willbe avoided. p

An inling` 4roller 94' provided `with a -defoimable'surface 96 is positioned 'to be engaged by the 1type `faces 90 for lthe Atransfer of ink 1torthe i typ'ellfaces.` yIt "will *be evident that the projections -92 will "'extendtsorfnewhat beyond the radially routermost point lofexlt'e'nsion of the i 'type faces 90 and will thus r'clepress tthe surface'i96 of projections 92, -and -thus wear will `be distributed -over the surfacerof Vtheroller I94.` While yinlcvvill bel-'applied to the iprojecti'on's 192 `by lthe =inking roller as well as to Vthe `type faces `90,=tl1'is linking is 4notobjectionablefor the reason that the -perforations the cigarette ultimately formed will be adesirable feature and fit1 is desirable lthat the existence -of these lp'erforations` -be jaccentuated by a slight ink mark. Ink is applied to theinking "roller l96 by lmeans of -a conventional inkccarrying roller 98 rolling in an ink #bath 100 and` having the in'lc layer thereoncontrolled by a scraper -102.`

The circumference ofthe perforation projectioncarrying rollers shown in Figures 3, 5 and6 and ofthe `type carrying rollers shown in Figures 5 and i6 fhave been described as being equal Vto the length of `twocigarettes.

These rollers may, ifdesired, have a circumference equal to more than two ycigarettesand, `if the cigarettes are Anot formed in a 4butt-to-.butt arrangement as showndnFjgure .2, the Arollers may .be` of `a Icircumference requalttoman 1uneven number of cigarettes. `It Vis fessential,;how.ever, `that in the perforation performing operations coacting rollers .of :sufficient `diameter be employed so thattthecwrapper strip and the perforation vperforrn-ing.projection come '.together and separate with sufficiently -little angularedis-Q placement between a perpendicular to 'the paper surface and the longitudinal axis of the projection that longitudinal tearing of the strip is avoided. If it is considered that a cigarette wrapper has a thickness of the order of 0.002 inch and a perforation be provided of the order of 0.010 inch in diameter, it will be recognized that the diameter of the perforation performing punch will be suflciently greater than its necessary length to permit the roller perforating employed, provided suitable roller diameters are maintained.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for producing cigarettes comprising means for filling and wrapping a strip of paper to form a cigarette rod, means for feeding a strip of paper from a supply thereof to said filling and wrapping means, means for cutting the continuously formed rod into cigarette lengths, means providing a convex surface between said strip supply and said filling and wrapping means, means for passing the strip over said convex surface, and means acting against said surface for printing and perforating each of successive cigarette lengths of the strip.

2. Apparatus for producing cigarettes comprising means for filling and wrapping a strip of paper to form a cigarette rod, means for feeding a strip of paper from a supply thereof to said filling and wrapping means, means for cut-ting the continuously formed rod into cigarette lengths, a roller positioned between said strip supply and said filling and wrapping means, means for passing the strip around a portion of said roller, a second roller positioned adjacent to said first mentioned roller, said rst and second mentioned rollers mounting means providing in combination for applying printing on and providing a transversely spaced row of perforations in each of successive cigarette lengths of said strip.

3. Apparatus for producing cigarettes comprising means for lling and wrapping a strip of paper to form a cigarette rod, means for feeding a strip of paper from a supply thereof to said lling and wrapping means, means for cutting the continuously formed rod into cigarette lengths, a roller positioned between said strip supply and said filling and wrapping means, means for passing the strip around a portion of said roller, a second roller positioned adjacent to said first mentioned roller, said first and second mentioned rollers mounting means providing in combination for applying printing on and providing a transversely spaced row of perforations having printed edges in each of successive cigarette lengths of said strip.

4. Apparatus for producing cigarettes comprising means for filling and wrapping a strip of paper to form a cigarette rod, means for feeding a strip of paper from a supply thereof to said filling and wrapping means, means for cutting the continuously formed rod into cigarette lengths, a roller positioned between said strip supply and said lling and wrapping means, means for passing the strip around a portion of said roller, a second roller positioned adjacent to said rst mentioned roller, said rst and second rollers mounting means acting in combination for printing successive cigarette lengths of the strip, and said rst and second rollers mounting means in combination producing a transversely extending row of perforations across each of successive cigarette lengths of said cigarette rod, means for feeding a strip of paper fromv a supply thereof -to said lling and wrapping means, means for cutting the continuously formed: rod into cigarette lengths, a roller positioned between said strip supply and said filling and wrapping means, means for passing the strip around a portion of said roller, a second roller positioned adjacent to said first mentioned roller, said first and second rollers mounting means acting in combination for printing successive cigarette lengths of the strip, and said first and second rollers mounting means in combination producing a transversely extending rofw of perforations across each of successive cigarette lengths of said strip, said last mentioned means including a projection on one of said rollers and a projecting rim on the other of said rollers surrounding a depression adapted to receive the projection, and means for applying ink to one of said rim and projection.

6. Apparatus for producing cigarettes comprising means for feeding a strip of paper from a supply thereof, means yfor continuously filling and wrapping said strip to form a cigarette rod, means for cutting the continuously formed rod into cigarette lengths, and means interposed between said feeding means and filling and wrapping means for producing a transversely extending row of perforations across each successive cigarette length of said strip, the last-recited means comprising: a pair of rollers disposed at opposite sides of said strip and driven in opposite directions but at the same peripheral speed, projections on one of said rollers arranged substantially in a row, means for Ypassing the strip around a substantial portion of the other of said rollers, said other roller having depressions therein, adapted to receive said projections, and projecting rim portions surrounding said depressions, said rim portions being adapted to engage and grip said strip in the areas thereof surrounding the perforations formed by said projections, whereby tearing of the strip is prevented and synchronism of the apparatus is maintained.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,042,652 De Cazen Oct. 29, 1912 1,393,524 Groupe Oct. 11, 1921 1,711,487 Caldwell May 7, 1929 1,740,606 Knudsen Dec. 24, 1929 1,818,046 De Pamphilis Aug. 11, 1931 2,208,504 Arelt July 16, 1940 2,269,995 Trane Jan. 13, 1942 2,338,327 Haegele Jan. 4, 1944 2,583,682 Celovsky Jan. 29, 1952 2,762,433 Russell Sept. 11, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 139,673 Great Britain Mar. l, 1920 569,486 Great Britain May 25, 1943 

